My Dearest Friend
by EtherealLightning
Summary: May has finally defeated the Hoenn Pokémon League with the help of her best friend Gardevoir. But her journey is just starting...
1. Chapter 1: Decisions, Decisions

**Chapter 1: Decisions, Decisions…**

 _"Congratulations, May, on becoming Pokémon League Champion…"_

These words had been on repeat in my head ever since I left Ever Grande City. I had summoned Latias with my Eon flute, and for the past hour or so, have just been soaring through the skies over Hoenn. My home. To be honest, I had no idea what I was going to do next. Becoming the Pokémon League Champion had become my overarching goal, and now…what?

I will say, when I entered a Contest Spectacular a few weeks ago on the insistence of a very outgoing girl by the name of Lisia. Really, I entered just to keep her from bothering me. To my complete surprise, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the rush of competition.

 _I did as well, Master._ A voice spoke in my head.

I looked over my shoulder to see Gardevoir staring back at me.

"What did I tell you about calling me 'Master'?" I joked.

Gardevoir lowered her head. _Forgive me, Mas-…May. It appears I have not fully grown out of this habit._

I smiled at her. If we weren't soaring through the skies, I would have patted her on the head, but alas, I was busy holding on to Latias to make sure I didn't go flying off her back.

"It's okay. Just work on it. You'll get the hang of it. You always do." I said to her.

 _Pardon my intrusion, May, but where would you like me to land?_ Latias said to me telepathically.

I turned away from Gardevoir to look at the landscape below us. Right now, we were really close to Oldale Town. I could get home really easily from here, and I want to see my mom again.

"Here is fine, Latias." I said to the dragon Pokémon.

 _Very well, May. Hold on tight._

"Alright. You hear that, Gardevoir? Hold on tight."

I felt Gardevoir wrap her arms around my waist, just as Latias began to dive towards Oldale Town.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride, Latias." I said, patting her head lightly.

 _You are very welcome, May. It was a pleasure to see you again._

With this, Latias jetted off into the sky once more. As I watched her go, I could sense Gardevoir standing next to me and I looked over at her through the corner of my eye.

I had caught Gardevoir when she was just a young Ralts, just as I was beginning my journey to become Champion. Well, I guess "caught" isn't really the right word for what happened. You see, a Trainer typically has to battle and weaken the wild Pokémon before attempting to catch them, but that's not at all what happened when I encountered her.

* * *

 _Author's note: Please leave feedback on this story, so I know if y'all like it or not. Thanks :)_


	2. Chapter 2: A Bond is Made

**Chapter 2: A Bond is Made**

As I was wandering Route 102, I heard a rustling in the grass off to my side. I was just reaching for my Torchic's Pokéball when a small Ralts wandered out into the road. Pulling out my Pokédex, I studied this strange Pokémon's entry.

 _"Ralts senses the emotions of people using the horns on its head. This Pokémon rarely appears before people. But when it does, it draws closer if it senses that the person has a positive disposition."_ My Pokédex's robotic voice told me.

I looked at the small Pokémon and smiled. "Well, thanks for the compliment." I squatted down to study it more closely.

 _You are welcome._ A voice said in my head.

Startled, I fell backwards onto my butt. I looked around, but I couldn't see anything else except the Ralts in front of me. I looked at it. "Was…that you?"

The small Pokémon nodded in affirmation. It bowed slightly. _Hello, I am Ralts. May I ask your name?_

Sophisticated words for such a small, and presumably young, Pokémon. "Uh…my name's Haruka, but everybody calls me May. Well, everybody except my parents."

 _It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask what you are doing out here?_

I still couldn't believe I was having a conversation with a Pokémon. Professor Birch never told me anything about Pokémon that could talk! "Well…I'm on my way to Petalburg City. I just started my journey. I figured I'd go see my dad before I headed out."

 _Your journey to where?_

"I wouldn't say it's a journey to a specific place really. Well, I guess it is, but for me, it's more a personal journey, so I can find out who I am. If that makes any sense." I shrugged, still baffled that I'm telling all of this to a Pokémon.

 _What do you mean, "who you are"?_

Wow, this little Pokémon asks some tough questions.

"Umm…I guess what it is I like to do. Sort of…what it is that separates me from all the other Trainers and people out there? Maybe?"

 _You don't sound very sure of that._

I laughed. "Yeah, well, it's something I'm not going to figure out until I really get out there." With that, I began to stand up and get ready to head out. After talking with this Pokémon, it didn't feel right to try and battle it and take it away from its home here.

 _Are you leaving now?_

I nodded. To my surprise, the little Pokémon drew closer to me. It pointed at my bag, which had come loose when I fell on my butt. Confused, I grabbed it and held it out to the Pokémon. It shuffled through it for a second, and pulled out an empty Pokéball and handed it to me.

"What do you want me to do with this?"

 _Is it not traditional for humans to catch Pokémon using these devices?_

"It is, but I can't say I was planning on using one right now."

The Pokémon looked at me for what seemed like an eternity. It came even closer to me, and rested its tiny hand on my chest.

 _You have a good heart. I can sense it._

"Um…thanks…I guess."

The Pokémon backed away slightly, always looking at the Pokéball that was still in my hand. Very slowly, and delicately, it reached out its small hand…and pressed the button on the front of the Pokéball. Suddenly, the ball opened, and red light encapsulated the small Pokémon. The light then retreated back into the Pokéball, and it slammed shut. There were no signs of the ball rolling like they normally do when you try to catch a Pokémon.

Confused, I studied the Pokéball in my hand. In this Pokéball was the first Pokémon I ever caught as a Trainer. It didn't even seem fair to call it "catching" though. I'd never heard of a Pokémon voluntarily going into a strange Trainer's Pokéball. I figured that was a question I could ask the Pokémon itself. I pressed the button, and the Ralts appeared once more in a burst of red light.

 _Hello, Master._

Master?

"Um, hi Ralts. Why did you call me Master?"

 _I have seen other humans and their Pokémon travelling through here, and the Pokémon always referred to the human as "Master." I assumed that was normal, and that you would like me to refer to you in the same manner._

"Well, thank you for being considerate, but please do not call me that. I don't like the way it sounds. Just call me May."

 _As you wish, May._

"But to get down to business, why did you capture yourself?"

The Ralts climbed into my lap to look me in the eye.

 _Because I would like to come with you, May. I yearn to travel to a place beyond this forest, and see new things._

"Really?"

The small Pokémon nodded.

 _If that is agreeable to you._

"Sure, the more the merrier, right?"

Ralts turned towards its Pokéball, but I lifted it out of its reach.

"You said you wanted to see new things. How do you think you'll see new things from inside here?"

 _I was under the impression that Pokémon are supposed to travel inside these. That is their purpose, no? I've never seen a human with its Pokémon outside of one of these devices outside of battles._

"I guess…but don't worry about it. Besides, I'll get lonely if I don't have someone to talk to. You can stay out if you want." I said, smiling.

Ralts didn't say anything, but I could feel its body growing warmer. According to my Pokédex, that meant it was happy.

"Shall we get going, Ralts?"

 _That sounds wonderful, May._

I stood up, and placed Ralts on my shoulder, since I knew it wouldn't be able to keep up with me walking.

With my newfound companion, I set out to continue on my journey.


	3. Chapter 3: Home Again

**Chapter 3: Home Again**

Walking up to my front door, I paused for a second to make sure my hair wasn't too unruly from the flight. Satisfied, I reached up and knocked on the door. Not more than a few seconds later, I could hear rapid footsteps on the other side of the door, and suddenly I was wrapped in a tight hug, not too dissimilar from being coiled by a Seviper. Don't ask me how I know that.

"Haruka! I'm so glad you're home!" My mother said.

"Hi, Mom." I said, returning her hug.

My mom held me for a little bit longer, then released me. She looked over a Gardevoir, who was standing a few steps behind me. She opened her arms again.

"Hi, Gardevoir, sweetie. How are you?"

Gardevoir came closer and gave my mom the hug she wanted.

 _I'm doing well, Mrs. Maple._

"That's nice, sweetie. Congratulations! I'm so proud of you and my little Haruka."

I turned towards my mom.

"So, I guess you heard, huh?"

She smiled at me.

"Of course I have. It's all over the news! Imagine my surprise when I came into the living room after washing some dishes, and saw my little girl on the television." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Though, I guess its not fair to call you 'my little girl' anymore. Look at you, you're all grown up now!"

I blushed. "Mom, it hasn't been that long. You know as well as I do that I started my journey a lot later than most kids."

My mom laughed. "That's true, that's true. Well, are we going to stand out here all day, or are you two going to come inside?"

I laughed and Gardevoir smiled, and with that, the three of us went inside.

After we had come inside, my mom forced us to sit down at the table while she made us something to eat.

"Haruka?" My mom said from the stove.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"What happened to all of your other Pokémon? The woman on TV said you defeated the Pokémon League with just one Pokémon."

Ah, yes. You see, after I "caught" Ralts, I didn't feel the need to capture any more Pokémon. For a while, it was just Ralts, Torchic and I. When we got to Lavaridge Town, and faced Flannery, the Gym Leader, Torchic, now Combusken, grew to like the Hot Springs as well as the fiery personality of the Gym Leader. Combusken was a great friend, but we never had the bond that I shared with Ralts, which had evolved into Kirlia at that point. I talked to Combusken about it, with Kirlia acting as a translator for us, and I asked her if she wanted to stay in Lavaridge. Combusken said that she did, so I went to talk to Flannery. I told her that my Combusken wanted to stay in her town, and asked if she could take care of her.

 _"Take care of your Combusken? Of course I will! Always room for more fire in this town!"_ Flannery had said happily.

So with that, when I left Lavaridge Town, I had one less Pokémon.

I told my mom this, and she was quiet for a while. "So you and Gardevoir made this whole journey by yourselves?"

I smiled even though she couldn't see it. "Yeah."

My mom looked at me. "Well, I'm sure the bond you two share is something every Trainer in the world would envy." She said happily.

"I know." I replied.

My mom set a sandwich down in front of me, and a plate of Pokéblocks in front of Gardevoir.

"Thanks, Mom." I said, and Gardevoir nodded in agreement.

"You're welcome, you two. It isn't every day my little girl becomes the Pokémon League Champion." My mom said, grinning ear to ear. She sat down at the table, and watched Gardevoir and I eat. When we were finished, she stood up to take the plates into the kitchen.

"Why don't you take a bath, Haruka? You must be exhausted." My mom asked me.

"Okay. That sounds really nice, actually." I replied.

"Alright, sweetie. Why don't you head upstairs then?"

"Okay." With that, I headed upstairs, a warm bath calling my name.


	4. Chapter 4: Take Care of My Daughter

**Chapter 4: Take Care of My Daughter**

After Haruka went upstairs, I turned towards the Pokémon sitting across from me. Gardevoir cocked her head inquisitively at me.

"You've been taking care of my Haruka?"

 _Yes, Mrs. Maple. Just like you asked._

"Wonderful. Thank you, Gardevoir."

The embrace Pokémon nodded.

I guess I should explain that reaction. When Haruka first caught Ralts, she came running home to show me. It was so cute, how excited she was to show me her new Pokémon. She burst through the door, her face all flushed, calling for me. I rushed in, worried something had happened, only to have her tell me to close me eyes.

 _"Okay, now open!"_ She said excitedly.

To my surprise, a Ralts was standing at Haruka's feet, looking up at me. I knew how rare those Pokémon were, and was amazed that my Haruka had managed to capture one.

 _"Wow, honey. You caught that all by yourself?"_

She laughed. _"Not really. I'll tell you what happened."_ She told me the story of how she captured the Ralts, and I was amazed even more. I'd never heard of a Pokémon approaching a Trainer and willingly going into a Pokéball.

 _"I'll let you guys get to know each other. I have to go to the bathroom!"_ Haruka said, dashing upstairs.

I looked at the little Pokémon. _"Hello, little one."_

 _Hello, are you my Master's mother?_

 _"I am indeed. You can call me Mrs. Maple."_

 _As you wish._

 _"If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose Haruka the way you did?"_

The Pokémon smiled slightly. _She has a good heart. I could sense it._

 _"She does. I hope I can count on you to make sure she never loses it?"_

Ralts nodded. _You can, Mrs. Maple._

 _"Thank you."_

 _"All right, people and Pokémon! My super Pokémon journey resumes now!"_ Haruka said, coming back into the room. She picked up Ralts, gave me a hug, and was out the door again.

 _"Bye, Mom! See you later!"_ She called over her shoulder.

 _"Take care!"_ I called after her.

Thinking about how young Haruka had been then made me sigh. My little girl was all grown up now. She'd be 18 in a few months. She'd spent 6 years on the road, travelling and growing. She had even told me in a letter that she had traveled to other regions.

 _Is everything okay, Mrs. Maple?_

"Ah…yes. Just thinking about how much Haruka has grown."

I could sense the psychic Pokémon chuckling. _Yes, she has._

"You know, Gardevoir, I was a fairly decent Trainer in my day. In all of my travels, I never encountered a Trainer and Pokémon more in sync than you and Haruka."

 _Yes, we've heard much the same during our travels._

"It must be because you care for each other as if you're family."

 _I agree._

"What are Haruka's plans now?"

 _I…am not sure. We both got a thrill from entering a Pokémon Contest a few weeks back. I believe she wants to go back to Lilycove City and try again._

"Contest Spectaculars, huh? I see. They're perfect for her personality, aren't they?"

 _Yes. May is a perfectionist and very competitive. These contests are wonderful for her. I must say that I quite enjoyed the contest myself._

I smiled. "Oh, another question. Has Haruka…found anybody? A boy?"

Gardevoir tilted her head. _'Found anybody?' I do not understand, Mrs. Maple. We have found a lot of people in our travels._

I laughed at Gardevoir's naïveté. "I mean found anybody romantically, sweetie."

 _Ah. No, I do not believe so. There was one time we ran into that boy from next door, and he asked her if she wanted to go watch a Contest with him._

"Oh, really? Brendan did? What did she say?"

 _She declined. We were on our way to watch a rocket launch at the Mossdeep Space Center._

"I can't imagine poor Brendan took that very well."

 _Oh, he was very courteous about it. He said that he had forgot that he was supposed to meet a friend. He said we owed him a "rain check." I am unsure as to what he meant by that._

"That just means that he'll ask Haruka again one day. You have to admire that boy's courage. Well, if she hasn't found a boy, what about a girl?"

 _No._

"Well, I guess she's just not ready yet."

"Ready for what?"

I turned around to find Haruka standing at the bottom of the stairs, drying her hair with a towel.

"Ready to date, sweetie." I said.

"Who told you that?" She asked me.

"Well, Gardevoir said that Brendan asked you out once, and that you said no. She also said that you hadn't found anybody else."

"Who says that means I'm not ready to date? What does 'ready' even mean?"

"Calm down, sweetie. I wasn't trying to be mean. I was just wondering."

"I know, Mom. I was just saying."

Haruka came in and flopped onto the couch in the living room. She turned on the television, and began to zone out. Knowing she must be exhausted, I draped a blanket over her and turned off the light. I stood over the couch, watching her. Within minutes, her breathing slowed and steadied. She was out like a light. I turned towards Gardevoir.

"I'm going to pop over to Oldale Town and pick a few things up from the Pokémart. Will you watch the house while I'm gone?"

 _Of course, Mrs. Maple._

With that, I waved goodbye and headed out the door.


	5. Chapter 5: A Secret Mission

**Chapter 5: A Secret Mission**

When I woke up, the TV was still on, and its light lit up the dark room. I could hear shuffling the kitchen. Must be my mom making dinner. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the dark, and I could see Gardevoir sitting on the floor, leaning against the foot of the couch. She had her legs pulled up to her chest, and was resting her head on her arms, watching the TV. She must have felt me shift, because she turned towards me.

 _Hello, May. Did you sleep well?_

I sat up, stretching, and yawned. "Yeah, thanks." I said, rubbing my eyes.

 _Your mother is preparing dinner._

"All right. Did you sleep any?"

 _No._

"Why not?"

 _Your mother asked me to watch the house while she went shopping. She only returned a few minutes ago._

"You must be tired. You're the one that's done all the work today."

 _Yes, well…_ She was interrupted by a large yawn, which she did her best to muffle.

"See, what did I tell you? Get some sleep, Gardevoir."

 _As you wish, May._

She stood up, and walked towards my bag. Sorting through it, she retrieved her Pokéball, pressed the button, and disappeared in a flash of red light. The Pokéball landed with a soft thud back into my bag. She was weird like that. She always slept in her Pokéball; not once has she slept in a bed, even when I asked her if she wanted to.

Shrugging, I walked into the kitchen to help my mom cook dinner.

"Hey, Mom. Need any help?"

"Rise and shine, sweetie. How was your nap?"

"Fine. I feel a lot better now."

"That's good. You can just go back in and watch TV if you want, I can manage this."

"Are you trying to get rid of your daughter that you haven't seen in ages?" I said, grinning.

My mom turned around, hand on her hip, and pointed the wooden spoon she was holding at me.

"Of course not. You're more than welcome to stay in here if you want." She said, her face serious. She managed to keep this face for a whole two more seconds, before she burst out laughing. Seeing her laugh made me laugh too. It really had been way too long since I'd been home last.

Still laughing slightly, I took a seat at the table and watched my mom cook.

"So what are your plans now?" My mom asked me, turning back to what she was doing.

I stretched. "I don't really know yet. Just planning on winging it."

"Gardevoir mentioned that you both got a kick out of Pokémon Contests."

"Yeah, that's true. Gardevoir must have liked it more than she let on, if she brought it up."

"She seemed excited to try it again."

"Well, I guess that's what we'll do next. I'll add 'Expert Pokémon Coordinator' to my CV."

My mom laughed again. "That's my girl."

"So when's Dad coming home?"

Mom shrugged. "I'm not sure. He's so busy at the gym…but he tries his hardest to come home as much as he can."

I frowned. I know Dad loved being a gym leader, but it wasn't fair to Mom.

"I'm okay, Haruka. Don't worry about it."

"If you say so, Mom, but I don't think it's fair."

"I know, sweetie. But trust me, I'm fine."

I sighed. Clearly, there wasn't anything I could do. Or was there?

"Well, Mom, call me when dinner's ready. I'm going to go for a walk I think."

"Okay, sweetie. Be careful. Take Gardevoir with you."

"Okay and I will."

"Bye bye, honey."

"Be back soon."

I breezed through the living room on my way out the door, only stopping to grab my bag and Gardevoir's Pokéball. Stepping out into the brisk night air, I dug through my bag until I found my Eon Flute.

 _May? What are you doing?_

"Something for my mom. Don't worry. You can go back to sleep."

 _If you say so._

She must really be exhausted. I made sure not to jostle my bag too badly, and blew on the flute. I waited for a few seconds, until I could hear Latias' cry echo through the sky. A moment later, the red and white dragon Pokémon was hovering in front of me.

 _Yes, May?_

"Hi, Latias. Sorry to bother you this late, but I was wondering if you could take me to Petalburg City?"

 _Not a problem, May. Climb on._

"Thanks." I said, climbing onto Latias' back.

As soon as I got settled, Latias sped back up into the sky. I shivered in the chilly night air. My shivering must have disturbed Gardevoir's rest, because I heard the telltale sound of a Pokéball opening. Then, I was wrapped in Gardevoir's warm embrace. I smiled.

"Thanks, Gardevoir."

 _You're welcome, May. Why didn't you bring a coat with you when we left your house?_

"I…uh…forgot."

I could feel Gardevoir radiating mild disapproval.

"Sorry."

 _You don't have to apologize, May. I just wish you would be more responsible._

"Hey! You're starting to sound like my mother."

 _She must be rubbing off on me._

"It seems so." I sighed contentedly. "What would I do without you, Gardevoir?"

 _I do not know._

I scoffed. "That's where you're supposed to say something all warm and mushy, Gardevoir."

 _Ah. I apologize._

I reached behind me and patted Gardevoir's head.

"I'm just kidding."

 _May? Where would you like me to land?_ Latias interrupted.

"Oh, we're here already? Uh, just in front of the Gym is fine." I turned towards Gardevoir. "Hold on." Gardevoir's grip on my waist tightened slightly, right in time for Latias to dive towards the ground.

Gardevoir and I jumped off Latias' back in front of the Gym.

"Just wait here, okay? I'll be right back."

Latias nodded.

I turned and headed into the Gym. To my surprise, my dad was standing right inside the entrance.

"Haruka! I was wondering when you would show up." He laughed and opened his arms. "Congratulations, sweetheart!"

I walked forward and returned Dad's hug. Stepping backwards, I stared at him.

"What?" He said, his face confused.

I didn't know exactly what I should say, so I just grabbed his wrist and stomped out of the Gym.

"Haruka, where are we going?"

"Hush, Dad. Get on." I said, gesturing to Latias.

"Wh-what?! You want me to just climb onto one of the Eon Pokémon?!"

"It's fine. Get on." I said, petting Latias' head. She looked at my dad and nodded.

"If you say so." My dad said, climbing onto Latias' back.

"All right, Latias, let's go!" I said, climbing behind my dad. Gardevoir took her place behind me, and placed her arms back around my waist.

"Long time, no see, Gardevoir." My dad called over his shoulder.

I reached down, and patted Latias' side. Taking my cue, Latias shot up into the sky. I'm rather satisfied to say that my dad let out a scream that would scare a Gengar. Honestly, I thought it served him right.

"Back to Littleroot, Latias!"

 _Okay, May._

Not too much later, we were standing in front of my house, waving goodbye to Latias.

"Oh." Dad said.

I looked at him. "Yeah. Oh."

I grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside.

"Haruka, is that you? Dinner's ready!" My mom called from the kitchen.

"Yeah! And I have a guest!"

Mom leaned into the doorway, and her eyes widened when she saw my dad.

"Norman!"

My dad scratched his head. "Hi, Caroline."

"Come sit down, dinner's ready."

"Okay." Dad and I said at the same time.

 _I am going to go back to sleep, May._

I looked at Gardevoir. "Okay. I'll bring you something to eat later."

 _Thank you._

I set my bag down on the couch, so Gardevoir could go back into her Pokéball, and headed into the kitchen. Mom had already set the table, and I must say, dinner looked so much better than anything I had eaten on the road. That's counting the fancy cafes in Kalos.

"Wow, Mom, this looks amazing!"

"It does look wonderful, dear."

Mom sat down, gesturing at the food. "Okay, if it looks so good, dig in!"

We all laughed and began to eat.

I patted my stomach and pushed my chair away from the table. "Dinner was excellent, honey, thank you."

Caroline smiled at me. Strangely, it felt like it had been a while since I'd seen that smile. With a pang in my chest, I realized why Haruka brought me here. I looked at Caroline.

"Honey, would you like to go for a walk?"

"Yes, that sounds nice."

"Okay. Haruka, we'll be back in a little bit."

"All right, I'll wash up here, and then I'm probably going to head upstairs and go to bed."

Caroline stood and kissed the top of Haruka's head. "Thanks, sweetie."

I stood as well, and reached out my hand towards Caroline. "Ready to go?"

Caroline intertwined her fingers with mine. "Yep!"

I patted Haruka on the head on our way out the door. I made a mental note to thank her later. Closing the front door, both Caroline and I took a moment to savor the crisp night air. I squeezed her hand, and together, we set out into the night.

After I finished cleaning the dishes, I retrieved my bag from the living room. Gently, I grabbed Gardevoir's Pokéball and headed upstairs. Entering my room, I was suddenly transported into the mind of my 12-year old self. Honestly, I don't remember it being so…pink. Wow. Just wow.

Oh well. My bed was calling my name.

I set Gardevoir's Pokéball on my desk, and changed into my pajamas.

"Good night, Gardevoir." I said, crawling under the covers. Through my open window, faint laughter drifted in. That would be my parents. I smiled. Hopefully, Dad remembers now why he moved us to Hoenn from Johto.

 _"I'm going to make us a better life in Hoenn!"_

That's what he said, all right. And he's succeeded in living up to that promise, I'd say. Now, he needs to be with Mom, especially now that I'm not at home anymore.

Thoughts like these carried me off into the world of my dreams.


	6. Chapter 6: Be Careful

**Chapter 6: Be Careful**

I woke up in the morning to the sound of Taillows chirping outside my window. Sitting up, I yawned deeply.

 _Good morning, May._

"Huh? Oh, good morning, Gardevoir." Gardevoir was standing at the open window, looking at me. "We should head downstairs, and have breakfast."

 _That sounds nice._

"All right, let's go." I headed downstairs, and I could hear Gardevoir following me.

Heading into the kitchen, I found my Dad standing at the stove, and Mom sitting at the table, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, May." They said at the same time.

"Morning, Mom, Dad."

"Did you sleep well?" My mom asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. It's nice to sleep in my own bed again."

"I'm sure it is. You've been gone for a long time." My dad said.

"Come and sit down, you two."

"All right." Gardevoir and I took our seats at the table. I looked at the table. "Mom, Dad…I'm really sorry I haven't come home that often these past few years. I mean…I meant too, but I was just never able to. Something always came up…" Now it sounded like I was making excuses. Great.

My mom put her hand on mine. "It's okay, sweetie. We understand. We were just like you once, young and full of wanderlust."

I looked at her. "Really?"

"Of course we were! Where do you think you got it from?" Dad said from the stove.

My mom smiled. "That's right, honey. It's okay, really. We're so happy for you."

"All right! One plate of eggs and sausage for Haruka, and a special breakfast Poképuff for Gardevoir!" Dad said, setting plates of food in front of us.

"Looks good. Thanks, Dad." I said, Gardevoir nodding in agreement.

"You're welcome. Eat up."

When Gardevoir and I finished eating, my mom took our plates and put them in the sink. When she finished, both she and my dad sat down at the table.

"I know you're probably getting sick of us asking this, but what are you going to do now?" Dad asked.

"Well, we're probably going to get on the road to Lilycove City. There's a Contest starting in about two weeks. I also wanted to stop in Lavaridge Town and say hello to Combusken."

"That's wonderful, Haruka. You just have to promise me that you'll come home more often." Mom said.

I smiled. "I will. I promise."

"And I promise that I'll be here when you come home." Dad added, wrapping an arm around Mom's shoulders.

My smile grew even more.

"Do you need anything before you go?" Mom asked.

"I don't think so. I think Dad just gave me the only thing I could ask for." I said, looking at his arm around Mom.

Both my parents smiled the widest I'd seen them smile in a long time.

"What did we do to deserve a girl like you?" Dad said.

I blushed, and started to laugh to try to hide it. Soon enough, Mom and Dad started laughing with me. Even Gardevoir started to laugh with us. I know it was kinda stupid to start laughing the beginning, but now, it feels like the best thing I could have done. I think something like this is what I've missed the most while I was travelling. It sent a small pain through my chest to know that I would be leaving it again very soon.

Gradually, our laughter started to fade, leaving behind a warm, content silence. For a while, we just sat there, enjoying each other's presence. Finally, surprisingly, it was Mom who spoke.

"Well, Haruka, it's almost noon. If you want to get to Lavaridge by tonight, you probably should leave now, right? How long will it take for Latias to get you there?"

"I still think it's amazing one of the Eon Pokémon is willing to ferry you around." Dad added.

"I was actually planning on travelling by foot. I wanted to give Latias a break. She's been flying me around a lot lately."

"Oh, really? And you're absolutely sure you don't need anything, then?" Mom asked again.

"I'm fine, Mom. Really."

Mom sighed. "Okay, Haruka. If you say so."

Reluctantly, I stood. "I should probably be going now. I want to make it to Rustboro City before it gets too late."

"Rustboro? I thought you were going to Lavaridge first." Dad asked.

"I am, but I want to take the long way around. I would like to see Meteor Falls again. And I want to pick something up from the glass workshop on Route 113."

"You've got another big trip ahead of you, then." Mom said.

I nodded. "It'll be fun. I'm looking forward to it."

"We probably shouldn't keep you then." Dad said.

It was at this point that I noticed that Gardevoir was looking forlornly at the place her plate was.

"Gardevoir? What's wrong?"

She looked at Dad. _Mr. Maple, can you give us the recipe for your breakfast Poképuff? It was delicious._

"Sure I can, Gardevoir. I'm glad you liked it. Haruka, I'll send it to you on your Pokénav."

 _Thank you._

"All right, Gardevoir. Are you ready to go?"

She nodded. _I am._

"Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. I promise I'll keep you posted. And that I'll come back to visit often."

"Are you going to at least let us walk you to Route 101?" Dad asked.

"That's fine with me." I replied.

Regrettably, Route 101 isn't that far of a walk away from the house. When we finally got there, Haruka turned to say goodbye to Norman and I.

"Well, this is it. See you guys later." She said.

"Did you think you could leave without giving me a hug?" I asked her.

"Of course not!" She said, walking forward and wrapping me in a hug.

"Group hug!" Norman said, embracing both of us.

After a few seconds, we released each other, and stood facing each other.

"Be safe, Haruka."

"I always am."

"See you later, honey." Norman said.

Turning, Haruka headed out onto Route 101, Gardevoir walking closely next to her.

"She'll be fine, right?" I asked Norman.

He wrapped his arm around me. "Of course she will. She's a smart girl, and she has Gardevoir and Latias looking out after her."

"My baby is really leaving the nest this time, isn't she?"

Norman squeezed me lightly. "I think so, but we'll manage. If she doesn't visit, I'll find her, and drag her back here." Norman said, chuckling.

I laughed. Turning, we headed back towards the house.


	7. Chapter 7: On the Road Again

**Chapter 7: On the Road Again**

It didn't take Gardevoir and I very long to make it to Rustboro City. As usual, we headed to the Pokémon Center first to get rested up. After resting for an hour or so, Gardevoir and I headed out to find something for dinner. Night had already fallen, and the city was lit up beautifully. It really was a sight to see.

We eventually ended up at a small café that catered to both humans and Pokémon that we had visited when we were here last. The food was decent, but it really was the building itself that brought us back. It was a quaint little place on the corner of a decently sized street, and it was nice sitting at a small patio table and watch people and their Pokémon go about their business.

Since neither of us felt particularly hungry, Gardevoir and I split a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. I had always thought that Pokémon couldn't eat human food, but I found out very quickly that this was not the case, and I had shared many meals with Gardevoir up to that point.

 _This city is beautiful, May. The way the lights are arranged…it reminds me of a smaller version of Lumiose City._

"I see what you mean." I sighed happily. "I'd like to go back to Kalos eventually. I think out of all the other regions we've been to, that was my favorite."

 _I agree, I found it most wonderful._

"After we get done in Lilycove, would you like to visit Kalos again, then?"

 _I would, May._

"That's settled then."

"May? Is that you?" I heard a voice say behind me.

Turning around, I was surprised to find Brendan standing a few paces behind me. I smiled at him.

"Hi, Brendan."

"Sorry if I'm interrupting you guys." He said, gesturing to our mostly-eaten meal.

I waved my hand. "Not at all. Come sit down." I said, pointing at the empty chair at our table.

"Thanks." He said, taking a seat.

"So, what's up?" I asked him.

"Nothing much, really. Still trying to help Dad fill out the Pokédex."

"Oh yeah? How's that coming?"

He shrugged. "All right, I guess. There's a lot more Pokémon than I thought. Yours must be a lot fuller than mine, since you've traveled to so many places."

"Mine is about two-thirds of the way full, I think."

Brendan's eyes widened. "Really?! I've only filled mine about halfway."

"You should travel some, then. Your Pokédex will fill up without you even noticing."

"I guess." He frowned. "It's just kind of lonely travelling all by myself." He said, looking at me.

Uh oh. Time to go into damage control mode.

"You have your Pokémon, don't you? You're not going to be travelling 'all by yourself.'"

He smiled uncertainly. "You're right, I was just talking about human companions…people I can really talk to."

"You can talk to your Pokémon. I mean, look at Gardevoir and I."

"I know, May. It's just not the same."

He really is persistent, isn't he?

"You know, I'm sure Wally would be happy to travel with you. He had mentioned wanting to travel last time I saw him."

"I don't want to travel with Wally. I want…I want to travel with you, May."

Crap. How do I let him down gently? Again?

"I would, Brendan. I really would…"

"But…" He said, his expression darkening.

"But, you see, we're actually on our way to Lilycove City right now, and we're kind of on a tight schedule."

Brendan's shoulders drooped. "Well, what about afterwards?"

This kid, I swear.

"We were planning on heading to Kalos, actually. There's this café in Lumiose City that was absolutely amazing, and I'd like to have a picnic on Route 7 by the Battle Chateau. The flowers there were gorgeous."

"That sounds awesome, May. I wish I could go to Kalos. I've never been before. Do you think that there'd be room for me to come with you?"

All right, now this is getting irritating. Get the hint, bro.

"I wish there was, but Latias can only carry two people." I was lying, but hopefully he didn't know that.

"Couldn't Gardevoir go into her Pokéball?"

"No, she only likes being in her Pokéball to sleep."

"Oh."

Yawning, I stood up, gesturing to Gardevoir to do the same. "Sorry, Brendan, but I'm really tired, and we'd best be getting to bed. We have to head out early tomorrow."

"…Okay." He said quietly.

"See you later, Brendan." I said, walking back towards the Pokémon center, Gardevoir following me closely.

"OH. MY. GOD! He just doesn't get it! I don't know if he's that dense or just that stubborn." I complained, fixing the sheets on the bed I was using at the Pokémon center.

 _Your mother was correct._

"How so?"

 _She said that that boy would ask you to do something with him again._

"He said as much last time, but I didn't think he'd be so…annoying about it. Like, seriously."

 _He was rather determined to accompany us._

"Yeah, and normally, I wouldn't mind, but I didn't want to invite him without talking to you first. By the way, sorry about kind of ignoring you when I was talking to him."

 _It's quite all right, May. And it's not my place to question your actions._

I laughed. "Come on, Gardevoir. You know me better than that!"

 _Yes, well, I'm relieved that he will not be accompanying us. I believe that he would become irritating to you after a while._

I laughed even harder. "Especially if he spent the entire trip asking me out! You know, Gardevoir, I'm getting the impression that you don't like Brendan very much."

Almost imperceptibly, Gardevoir pouted. Interesting.

 _It just seems to me that he doesn't understand basic etiquette. He also insists on being a nuisance to you whenever we encounter him._

"Harsh, Gardevoir."

 _I'm only sharing my opinion, May._

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're feeling a little protective of me."

 _Of course I am, May. I…_

She stopped, shaking her head. She yawned, though it wasn't hard to tell that she was forcing it.

 _Good night, May._

"Good night, Gardevoir." I was still curious why she was acting so weird, but I didn't want to pester her. Besides, I was tired too.

"See you in the morning."


	8. Chapter 8: Meteor Falls

**Chapter 8: Meteor Falls**

We didn't have to leave as early as I had let on, because Meteor Falls really wasn't that far away. I just wanted to get away from that horribly awkward conversation with Brendan.

There really wasn't a particular reason that I wanted to return to Meteor Falls, I just thought that the waterfall inside was a good place to relax and reflect on everything that has happened so far. Combined with the Lunatones and Solrocks floating around periodically, it really was a magical place to be.

Once we got there, Gardevoir and I sat near the edge of a cliff, facing the giant waterfall. Like I said, it wasn't a particularly far walk, but for some reason, I felt exhausted when we got there.

"Hey, Gardevoir? I'm going to take a quick nap, if that's alright with you."

 _That is fine, May. I'll keep an eye out._

"Thanks, Gardevoir."

I took my bag off, intending to use it as a pillow, but Gardevoir stopped me by gently placing her hand on my arm.

"What?"

 _That cannot possibly be comfortable._

I shrugged. "Well, no…but do you have another idea?"

In response, she patted her thighs lightly. I could have sworn, for a second, her face reddened ever so slightly.

"Uh…okay…" I said, gingerly placing my head into Gardevoir's lap. This wasn't weird, right? Oh, well. I was tired, and Gardevoir's lap was a lot more comfortable than my bag would have been.

I'm not sure how long I was sleeping for, but it felt like a long time. To be honest, I was less concerned about how long I slept than I was about the position I found myself in when I woke up.

When I woke up, I felt fingers stroking through my hair. I figured that it could only be Gardevoir, but it still begged the question of what she was doing. Admittedly, it felt really nice, so I didn't immediately let on that I was awake. Unfortunately, I had to open my eyes eventually. Honestly, I'm glad I did, because the look on Gardevoir's face was priceless.

The blush that I swear I saw when she said I could rest my head in her lap returned in full force, and this time, there was no mistaking it. It was cute, my ever level-headed companion finally getting caught off guard.

 _M-M-May?! You're awake?!_ She said, her hands moving to her side in record speed. She looked away in embarrassment.

I would have gotten up at that point, but Gardevoir's lap was just too comfortable. Reaching up, I patted her head, and gently forced her to look at me.

"What are you freaking out about?"

 _I…you…you're not mad?_

"Of course I'm not, silly? If I was mad, I would have let you know the minute I woke up, wouldn't I?"

 _What?! How long were you awake before?!_

"Calm down. I was awake long enough to know what you were doing."

 _Okay…but why didn't you say anything?_

It was amazing how fast she could more or less recover.

"I didn't say anything because I knew if I did, you'd stop."

 _But why?_

"It reminded me of what Mom would do when I was little, and it felt really nice." I said.

 _Oh…_

"You've been spending too much time around Mom, I guess. You're starting to remind me of her in a lot of ways." I said, laughing lightly.

Gardevoir looked relieved that I wasn't mad at her, yet, she still looked…disappointed? Yeah, that's the word I'd use. Disappointed. I wasn't sure why, and I wasn't going to ask her.

I knew that we should probably get going, since I didn't know how long I had slept for. That also meant that I would have to get up, something I was reluctant to do.

"Hey, Gardevoir? As much as I'd like to lay here all day, we should probably get going."

Gardevoir seemed to perk up a bit at my comment.

 _Okay, May._

As we stood and prepared to leave, I reflected on our reprieve in Meteor Falls, and the words we had shared. Though right then and there it seemed insignificant, I had a gut feeling that this moment was, and would be, extremely important.


End file.
